Lapwing rescue in BW: 4 million for biodiversity in Sauldorf!

Lapwing rescue in BW: 4 million for biodiversity in Sauldorf!

On June 6, 2025, the Environment Minister of Baden-Württemberg, Thekla Walker, attended the official project launch of the NABU project “KiebitzLand – Biodiversity Grows Here” in Sauldorf. As part of the newly founded species protection offensive, the project is being funded with around four million euros to protect the lapwing, which is threatened with extinction. The dramatic decline in the lapwing population in Baden-Württemberg is alarming, as the population has fallen by around 92 percent since 1992.

The species protection offensive, which was launched in 2023, is a comprehensive initiative intended to protect endangered species in Baden-Württemberg. It includes several programs, including the Species Assistance Program, the Field Bird Protection Program and the Amphibian Protection Program, to quickly improve living conditions for endangered species.

Protection for the lapwing

The “KiebitzLand” project has set itself the goal of creating a total of twelve lapwing core areas as safe retreats by 2028. Due to intensive agriculture, the use of pesticides, extreme weather conditions and human disturbance, the habitat for the lapwing has shrunk significantly. The lapwing population in Baden-Württemberg fell to just 300 to 400 breeding pairs by 2016, which illustrates the urgency of the measures.

The team around NABU project manager Dr. Lars Stoltze focuses on identifying suitable areas on arable land and grassland. Farmers who are willing to use their land for lapwing receive compensation for lost yields. Through partnership-based agriculture, the aim is to secure and promote habitats for the lapwing in the long term.

Implementation of the measures

The specific measures include creating safe breeding conditions for lapwings. For this purpose, “lapwing islands” with fences and nesting baskets are being set up to protect the breeding birds. Shallow ponds and open ground areas are created to improve feeding conditions. Electric fences in the project area are intended to help protect the breeding lapwings and their clutches from natural predators such as foxes.

In addition, cattle grazing is practiced in the Kiebitz district areas. This measure is intended to create open areas that are necessary for lapwings to forage for food. The project also relies on volunteers to help monitor fences and monitor lapwings. The volunteers are essential partners in stabilizing the reproduction and populations of the lapwings.

The first four core areas in Ammerbuch, Dunningen, Sauldorf and Bad Dürrheim should be fully ready by spring 2025. In the long term, the aim is to integrate the project into the country's agricultural support system in order to ensure sustainable development.

Overall, the “KiebitzLand” project is an important step in efforts to protect species and nature conservation in Baden-Württemberg. It shows how the living conditions for endangered species can be sustainably improved through collaboration between nature conservation organizations, farmers and volunteers.

For further information about the NABU project “KiebitzLand” and the associated measures, visit um.baden-wuerttemberg.de or baden-wuerttemberg.nabu.de.